A World Beyond
by UhurA-star
Summary: Ginny and Draco are in love. But when things get messy and Ginny runs off, she gets mixed up in a situation that may leave her dead. Will Draco mend his ways in time?
1. Preface

_**Disclaimer:**__ I do not own any characters or references to the Harry Potter novels or movies._

**Preface**

Ginny stood in the hot shower. Her feet were wet and red but she could hardly get any heat from the water. She hugged her arms around her breasts and bowed her head. Outside the bathroom, Draco paced anxiously. If only he could read her swift mind. He finally gave in and waved his wand silently. The lock clicked. Draco gently pushed the door open.

"Ginny?" he called out in the direction of the large shower.

Ginny blinked. She raised her head and looked longingly towards the sound of her boyfriends' voice.

"Ginevra, are you okay?" he walked closer to the lavender curtain hanging over a sleek silver bath. He heard an indistinguishable whisper beneath the sound of pattering water. "Love?"

"I'm…. I'm not…." She said softly again. Her voice barely projected past the sound of the bath water but Draco caught what she'd said.

"Darling," he took a few steps onto a fluffy blue carpet and extended his palm onto the curtain, as though he could reach right through it to brush her hair. The water stopped running and he stared eagerly at the edge of the curtain, waiting for her to appear there. Finally, small pale fingers were seen wrapped around the curtain to pull it back. Ginny pulled it back slowly and stood naked and cold in front of Draco, who was holding a thick towel ready in his outstretched arms, waiting for her to come to him. She took two steps and fell into his arms. Draco swiftly wrapped himself around her shaking body. He kissed her forehead and squeezed her tight. Ginny still was shivering violently and contracted into Draco's body.

"Come, dear." Draco lifted her with strong arms and kissed her face again. She felt much more secure in his arms than alone in the shower and forced herself even closer to him, closing her eyes so she could absorb him. Draco carried her through the spare bedroom, down the hall, up a small flight of stairs, and down another corridor. With his toe he tapped open the door to the bedroom they both shared, a place he knew she'd be very comfortable. The room was warm. A dark green bedspread and sheets with gold trim were laid out neatly on the bed. The room was the same color gold and emanated the warmth they shared together. Draco carried her to the bed and gently placed her down. When their bodies lost contact, the chilled feeling rushed back to Ginny and she moaned for him back. He covered her swiftly in blankets that lay at the foot of the bed and placed his hand on her cheek.

"It will be alright, Ginevra," he whispered softly. His warm breathe fell upon her face. "I'm here now."


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

When Draco first brought Ginevra to his home, she was mesmerized. She couldn't believe that someone she shad once believed to be so clod could live now in such a beautiful, warm building. The architecture was gorgeous and the interior design, stunning. It was as if she had walked into this fairytale land in which she would discover the man she would become to love. Ginevra hadn't planned on this in the beginning; she was only concerned on having a place to stay while her family tried to pick up the pieces of their shattered lives. Luckily, Draco Malfoy was there to reach out a helping hand. He let her live with him, no strings attached and soon they became close friends in spite of their past. This was partly due to their long fireside talks on Draco's plush crimson sofa, in which he spoke of his short childhood and the horrors he experienced living with his father and following the Dark Lord. They soon grew accustomed to their living arrangements and Ginevra even learned to love the way Draco snuck glances at her when she was most vulnerable. As a year went by, Draco had no doubt that he loved the petite freckled woman he now knew so well.

He finally couldn't stand not knowing anymore. Draco decided to talk to Ginevra, to tell her of this amazing feeling he had.

They sat on his wraparound sofa, watching another romantic Muggle movie. Draco saw his chance when she adjusted herself and ended up closer than usual.

"Ginny," he spoke softly. She looked over with a smile. "I can't explain this. Every moment we get closer and I fall more in love."

Ginevra's smile fell. She looked down, embarrassed. This was not what she had expected. It was blunt for Draco. How could he possibly love her? She was just his houseguest… for a year. Her face tingled. She was just a silly Weasley and he was… a Malfoy. An amazing, handsome, mysterious man whom she stared at when she thought he wasn't looking. But she had caught him staring too. Was it possible?

"Even now," Draco spoke again. "As I inch closer to you, I can fall deep into your lovely brown eyes. It's as if…" he paused, completely lost when she looked up to him and they were only centimeters away. Draco tentatively placed his long fingers above her knee. "Well, I've never felt this way before."

Ginevra took a deep, shuddering breath. She had never felt this way either. As his warm hand slide up and down her thigh, caressing it smoothly through her soft flannel pajamas, she felt something within her groan awake. Something which had hibernated within since she was the ripe age of 15. She guessed this was already awake within Draco.

The ash gray eyes, smooth as satin, which looked at her so longingly, called out to her in a way they never had before. Lovingly; hungrily.

"I," She whispered. "I have not either."

Draco edged himself closer to her. His hand rested higher than ever before on her leg, which he squeezed slightly as he closed the space between them.

"Ginevra," he groaned.

Draco's mouth was hot. He gently sucked her lip and soon he felt her tongue searching around his mouth. Ginevra's hands found his neck and used it to pull herself closer.

They remained content with this for a few moments, Draco's hands searching her legs and Ginevra's stroked the back of his neck. But Ginevra was impatient with him. She longed for him to… well, she didn't really know. She had never been close like this with anyone, not even Harry. Sure, they had had their ways, but he was always so _safe_ with her. Being with Draco, she felt as if she could do something daring and still feel like herself. So she took a hand off of his neck and reached for her shirt. With her thumb and index fingers, she popped the first button off, then the second. By the time she had gotten to the third, Draco's fingers had taken over. They were smooth and knowledgeable and soon she was released from her pajama top and sat, warm from Draco and the nearby fire, for him to see. All this had happened while their tongues were still interlocked. Now, however, Draco broke away and gazed in wonder at Ginevra's well-endowed chest. His right hand left her thigh and held her perky breast. It was full and beautiful and too big for only one hand to hold.

He leaned into her again, this time squeezing and caressing and tickling her breast. Draco pinched her nipple over and over and soon it was hardened under his palm. Ginevra was breathing harder and so was he. The fingers of his left hand discovered her panty line under her flannel bottoms and his palm moved over her backside. Soon their mouths broke away and Draco lowered his head to her neglected breast, first kissing it, and then suckling gently, then harder and harder until her nipple rolled hard in his mouth. As Draco's hands squeezed her butt and breast, Ginevra let a small moan escape her mouth. She felt her hands yearn to please him, as his were pleasing her. They found the hem of his shirt and she swiftly pulled it off. She then slid the tips of her fingers just under the waistband of his pants and instantly felt his body yearning for more.


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

Draco had lifted Ginevra off the sofa. Her legs wrapped around his waist and she sucked under his ear. He brought her up a set of stairs to a spare bedroom. It was silver and pale purple and when Draco entered, the room was flooded with soothing yellow light. He dropped Ginevra on a fluffy loveseat and immediately fell upon her.

It was as if the change of scenery had made completely different people out of the pair. Ginevra giggled as she pulled Draco's blond locks, making him shudder and moan softly. He got her back by releasing her body from her flannel pajama bottoms. As Draco threw them to the floor, Ginevra laughed loudly and squirmed from underneath him in just her pink cotton panties. Draco lay back onto the loveseat and licked his lips hungrily at the sight of her nearly naked, full, freckled body. He sat up and stretched out his arms to rest on the back of the loveseat, his legs opened comfortably. He yearned for her to jump into his lap, to get him so fully aroused. Fortunately, Ginevra wanted the same. She smiled devilishly and jumped onto his lap eagerly with a running start. Draco caught her mouth with his and kissed her feverishly. He soon moved to her breast and worked away at it with his tongue. Ginevra braced herself by holding tightly to the back of the loveseat.

With his love still atop him, he lifted his backside and ripped of his remaining pajamas.

Ginevra pulled herself away. Balanced carefully on Draco's hips, she brought her face close to his, so close their foreheads touched. Draco was breathing heavily and his mouth was wet. Ginevra looked deep into his ash-colored eyes. This was the moment of softened love she needed. At this moment, her love for Draco was insurmountable. She wanted to love him with every last inch of her body. With both of them in only their underpants, she could feel his hardened member so close to her wet core.

Ginevra giggled a little suddenly and jumped off his lap. He followed her as she danced around the room, so light on her feet. She explored the washroom and the closet and took a nice long look at the lavish bed. She rifled through the small bedside tables and didn't even notice when Draco lifted himself silently onto the bed and lay down,

"Drac—" Ginevra started, and turned around. She stopped and starred happily at Draco's moment of ease. His eyes closed and his body was quivering the tiniest bit. While he had his eyes shut, Ginevra took her chance at another daring move. In the silence of the bedroom, she quietly removed her panties to reveal a little mess of reddish fluff between her legs. She took a breath and put one knee and then the other on to the bed. Her movement disrupted Draco's still body, but he still didn't open his eyes. She wondered why. Surely, he was not nervous. She at least had reason to be; after all, she'd heard a lot about sex of course but had never experienced it herself. Draco on the other hand, would surely have had many visitors in his large, lonely home.

Ginevra was right of course, but wrong in thinking her new love was not nervous as well. For he knew he had never taken a partner whom he loved, let alone loved as much as he did Ginevra. He kept his eyes closed, even as he felt her weight upon the bed which he lay. He did not want to open them in the fear he might awaken from a dream.

Ginevra now stood from her knees. She placed one foot on either side of Draco's still body and knelt once again. When he felt her smooth skin on either side of him, Draco smiled curiously. He finally opened his eyes and all at once flipped Ginevra over so he was now straddling her. She laughed loudly and openly. Her hair tickled his thigh and he glanced down at her, wondering where on earth this silly young woman had come from. Draco leaned down and brought his mouth to her body again. He trailed his tongue between her breasts, her rib cage, swirling it around her naval. Ginevra closed her eyes, shuttering in anticipation. Finally, Draco reached her small nest of hair. He braced himself, and pushed her legs apart and her thighs up toward her abdomen. He now had her in his sights and gazed at her wet little self until she moaned for him to come bring her mouth to her. Draco laughed at her impatientness, blowing his cool breath all around her insides. Finally, tongue met skin and Ginevra moaned and whispered his name. Draco did not stay there for long, however, for he was also growing as impatient as she was. Although he urged her to come, nibbling at her and licking her up, she refused. Ginevra bit her lip and took long breaths. She finally pulled his face out from between her legs. As Draco released her legs from his grasp, she used her toes to yank down his underpants down. Finally, she felt the whole of his member against her thigh and as she reached down to grasp it, Draco moaned louder than either of them had. She guided him to where she wanted him, forgetting everything else, and let him finish. Her back arched so far it left the bed completely, her legs held back by his warm hands as he pushed into her over and over.


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

A bell rang.

"Mr. Malfoy, you have a visitor." A young woman's voice could be heard clearly throughout the house, including the bedroom where Draco lay disheveled.

He covered his face with a pillow and groaned. His body lay sore and tired. And arm was wrapped around Ginevra, who lay asleep on his chest. The bell rang again and again the woman spoke.

"Mr. Malfoy,"

Draco groaned again and untangled himself from Ginevra. He lifted her head carefully off his chest and placed it on a pillow. She sighed contently. Draco hopped up and stretched. He found his pants on the floor and threw them on with a bathrobe from a closet. He ran down a long flight of stairs concealed behind a bookcase and came out right in his front hall. Draco swept his hair off his face with a brush of his hand, plastered a grimace on his face and opened the door.

"Draco, how dare you make your own father wait on your Muggle doorstep." Draco registered his father's leisure drawl before he realized whose face it was. Lucius stepped inside, Narcissa following.

Draco swallowed. "My apologies, Father." He swooped down on Narcissa and kissed her cheek. "Mother,"

"Never apologize, Draco," Lucius said coldly. "It's a sign of _weakness_."

"Right."

Narcissa spoke in a high voice. "Draco, darling, what are you doing here? This house is beautiful, but the Muggle world?"

"I found that showing my face in the Wizarding World was not very," Draco swallowed again. "Safe. This home is comfortable; I bought it off an old wizard living in solitude for a very nice price. I enjoy this life."

Lucius looked angry but his voice did not show it. "You enjoy living alone, Draco? Surrounded by the Muggles— "

Draco cut him off coldly. "I am hardly surrounded, father. I live well away from the world and, yes, I enjoy it. Now, if your business was to see me, you have finished and I must beg your pardon, but please," he took a breath. "Leave."

Lucius lifted himself up to his tallest. "You force us out of your house when we have not seen you in two years? What, Draco, are you hiding here?"

"I have," Draco took a deep breath. "A guest. I don't believe she would like to wake up to a house full of recently released Death eaters."

Lucius held back his contempt. "Very well." He said dryly. "We shall visit at a more appropriate time. Narcissa, we shall leave Draco now."

Narcissa looked a bit heart broken but nevertheless kissed her son and followed her husband out the broad silver door.

Draco let all his breath out. He slouched against a nearby wall and slid down to sit on the floor. He threw his head back to rest it on the wall. The day he had most dreaded had come. His father and mother had been released from Azkaban and had discovered him. The days of living comfortably in solitude with Ginevra were through. Draco stood, shook away his feelings and focused his thoughts on his love. He sighed, walked to the kitchen, and began preparing their breakfast.


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

Ginevra awoke at 8:34 exactly, alone, naked, in a cozy bed, her head resting on a pale pink satin pillow. She yawned, rolled onto her back and stretched. Several muscles protested, reminiscent of the night before. As the memories came back to her, Ginevra sighed and sat up. Her breasts felt heavier than usual on her chest and her ginger head itched. She got out of the bed reluctantly and threw on a silken bathrobe she saw threw the glass closet door. As Ginevra wandered down one flight of stairs then another, she gradually heard voices coming from what she knew to be the main hall. She traveled farther down the stairs, stopping just short of a hallway that would put her in clear view of whoever was in the main hall.

The long, arrogant voice that reached her on the stairwell made Ginevra suck in her breath and brace herself against the wall. Lucius Malfoy had come to visit his son. With the excitement of last night, Ginevra's topic of conversation with Draco (the release of his parents from Azkaban), had completely slipped her mind. Only days ago they had been set free, and in that short time they had discovered Draco's whereabouts and traveled here to visit him. Ginevra leaned heavily against the wall. The thought of such a Death Eater in the home she now resided in was quite frightening. Although Voldemort had long since been killed, the Death Eaters still gathered and promoted chaos throughout the country. Was Draco's father one of them?

Ginevra stepped onto the next stair, plastering herself against the dark blue wall, trying desperately to hear the next quiet words. All of a sudden, she fell back. The wall behind her shifted and opened up to a blood red velvet staircase flooded in light from torches on the stonewall. Ginevra slid down the slippery stairs, trying desperately to keep off her head of red curls. The hidden door closed swiftly behind her, hopefully silencing her grunts from the Malfoys as she continued to tumble down the stairs until, finally, she hit level ground.

Ginevra took several moments to gather her senses. The steeply inclining stairwell had brought her to a surprisingly warm stone room, only lit by torches. She stood and looked about. There was not much, she realized as she explored, except for books. Shelves lined with hundreds of them. There were unkempt stacks on the floor and random freestanding bookcases scattered about. Ginevra found the whole room rather magnificent, though also quite odd. Why would Draco need so many books? He had several hundred more throughout the main house anyways. There were enough here to start his own library. Just as Ginevra was reaching toward a particularly thick, leather-bound book on top of a stack on the floor, she heard her name being called out frantically.

"Ginevra? Ginny?"

"I'm here!" she called back, turning around to the stairs. Draco was standing halfway down the steps, looking to her.

"Ginny," he sighed. "You gave me quite a fright, you know. If you'd like to explore the house I'd be happy to accompany you." He smiled. "You don't just have to disappear."

"I'm sorry, darling." Ginevra smiled back and made her way back to Draco. "I was… coming down the stairs to the hall and the wall, it just fell in!"

"Yes, some of them tend to do that." Draco smiled wider. He lifted Ginevra onto the stair above him to have a better angle whilst he passionately kissed her. "You are okay, aren't you, my sweet?"

"I took a little tumble but I'll be perfectly fine." Ginevra assured him. Her stomach grumbled ruefully. She laughed. "I forgot how hungry I was."

"Not to worry; I was looking for you because breakfast is ready." He swept her up into his arms romantically and she gave a little squeal. "Come; let's eat."

And with that, Draco carried Ginevra up the long flight of stairs.

Later that day, Ginevra indulged her adventurous side. After discovering that secret basement room, she wondered what else she didn't know about her home. So, after lunch, Ginevra slipped off while Draco was in his study. She padded softly around, not knowing where to go or what to look for. She searched about for anything that seemed odd. Things she would have seen at Hogwarts, she thought with a smile.

After a while searching about the house, Ginevra gave up. If there were other secrets, she supposed they would appear sooner or later. So she took a short swim in the pool on the ground floor. The room was beautiful, like all the others. Its walls were all glass, allowing for a quite lovely view of the faraway mountains. There were huge windows, one of which Ginevra opened now, that let some fresh cool air into the steaming room. Ginevra changed in the small room of the pool area which housed her and Draco's swim trunks.

She didn't test the water. Just dove smoothly in the deepest end. Ginevra swam for about an hour, mostly just relaxing by floating on her back in the warm water. When she was done, she lifted herself out on the side instead of walking up the steps on the shallow side. While she was pushing herself onto the tile floor, she saw something rather odd, and grinned.


	6. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

Ginevra walked into the hidden room mesmerized. It didn't have walls, only millions of colors, all swirling around her. They sparkled and gleamed, and dove in all directions, moving swiftly. It was quite a sight. Ginevra walked farther in on the hardwood floor. She could see vague faces in the lights, familiar ones. But they were so distorted she couldn't identify them. Ginevra took a long breath. What was the purpose of having such a wonderful place?

She jumped down another flight of stairs, still in her two-piece. Ginevra whipped around a corner and threw open the door of Draco's study, her wet red curls bouncing.

"Draco!"

He looked up leisurely from the large volume in his hands. "Fancy a swim, darling?"

"I did," Ginevra gasped. "And afterwards, I found something; a room. Well… it's sort of a room. You see, there are all these colors and lights and I just don't know what to make of it!"

She looked at Draco and wasn't astonished at his bored smile.

"You know of this room, don't you?"

"Of course, my sweet."

"Well, what is it?"

Draco stood from his cozy armchair and stretched. "It would be easier to explain if I showed you." He smiled kindly and took Ginevra's hand.

They climbed back up the stairs to the third floor with the pool. They wandered over to the one of the two solid walls, to the hidden door Ginevra had discovered. It was here that a potted planted sat, tall and leafy. The incoming sunlight from the glass walls cast their shadows onto the floor. However, their shadows did not continue up the green wall, as they should have. Instead, the head and top half of the torso of their shadows disappeared as if there were not a wall there at all.

Draco drew his wand. He tapped the wall, just as Ginevra instinctively had, and it opened for him, allowing Ginevra in as well. They entered the mysterious room hand in hand. Ginevra was once again mystified by what it contained: all the lights, the colors. Draco looked to her.

"It's a memorarium."

"Ginevra gave him a questioning look. Draco laughed and the sound bounced off their surroundings causes little echoes that were like the snickers of far-off fairies.

"I know, it's a mouth-full. You know of pensives?"

Ginevra nodded. "Harry used to use Dumbledore's."

"Well, a memorarium is like a pensive, only it is able to hold much more and shore a lot more detail. When you select a memory," Draco walked to the edge of the room and reached into the light. It instantly became brighter around his hand. He withdrew it and was held a substance that resembled strands of unicorn hair drawn together. "You are able to access it much more, well, vividly then you would ever be able to with a pensive." Draco threw the substance into the room suddenly.

Everything was whirling around Ginevra. The walls, the floor; everything. Yet, quite clearly, she could see Draco but an arms length away.

Soon, it was over. However, Ginevra and Draco no longer stood in the memorarium, but in a dark bedroom. In the bed in front of them, there was clearly a young couple thrashing about in the midst of passion. While she stared, Ginevra caught a glimpse of the locks of bright red hair upon the woman's head.

She turned sharply. "Draco, is that… _us_?"

Draco simply smiled. "I never want to forget that night." He took a step toward her. "I want to always remember every last detail." Draco was now very close to her. Just the scent of his breath set her heart racing. "I want to remember how you feel," He brushed the bare skin of her arm and continued to cup her breast. "How you sound," Ginevra ducked her head in embarrassment, for when he said this, the Ginevra behind her let out a particularly loud moan. Draco comforted her by slipping his hand under her bikini top. His other hand had found its way just under the edge of her bottoms and this made her heart beat at an astonishing pace. "How beautiful you are."

Draco had reached the hot spot between her legs, massaging her, caressing her, until Ginevra let out a barely heard moan and her legs trembled. Then all around them, the room was moving again. Ginevra pressed against Draco in surprise, but soon the memorarium had stopped its transition. They were back in the place they had started.

Draco removed his hands from Ginevra's bikini, causing her to moan again. He lifted her chin so she could meet his smoldering eyes.

"Love," He said softly.

Then, he turned and left the room.


	7. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

"I have a suggestion." Ginevra stated confidently over dinner on Wednesday. It was grilled chicken and penne tonight, something she knew was Draco's favorite. "Wouldn't it be fun to have Hermione and Ron over sometime?"

Draco nearly choked on his wine and looked at her aghast. "Hermione and Ron? Are you serious?"

"Quite." Ginevra said softly. "I just think, well I haven't seen any of my family in ages and it would be fun! We could have drinks, watch a movie…. I daresay Hermione's introduced him to some of her Muggle ways by now."

Draco looked down at his pasta slowly. The last time he'd seen Weaslebee and his badger of a girlfriend was when they had escorted Ginevra here before they continued into Westminster. Granger had been pleasant enough, most likely for Ginevra's sake but Weaslebee had been quite cold. Draco wasn't sure if he wanted someone like _that_ in his home.

"Well, sweet, it seems, judging by their last visit, that they prefer to stay away. I mean, your brother was rather… rude. And uncomfortable."

Ginevra wore a hurt face. "Hermione dragged him along trying to make me feel better. If I asked, I know they would consent to come and stay just for a little while."

Draco had kept his eyes on Ginevra while she said this and had not missed the gleam in her eye she had failed to hide by looking into her plate. He leaned forward menacingly.

"You've already asked them." It was a statement, not a question. Ginevra did not say anything in response. "Well?" Draco cried out suddenly, making Ginevra jump.

"I received their owl just this afternoon." She said softly.

Draco tried to take a calming breath, but failed. "Damn it, Gin! You need to ask for these things, not blindly take them! I cannot believe you would invite these, these people into my home! And not even with my permission!" He was yelling now and had stood from his chair. Ginevra sat frozen, not believing what she was hearing.

Finally, she caught her breath. "These people? What exactly do you mean?

"These," he struggled to find the words to fill a sentence, but Ginevra took advantage of his silence.

"Bloodtraitors, isn't it?" she was now standing as well. "You just can't get rid of your old ways! For God's sake! Draco, Voldemort was killed a whole two years ago! Are you really the same person you were?"

"Of course not! How could you say—"

"Because you," Ginevra took a deep breath and pointed her finger at him, just two feet away. "Are exactly like your father."

These words hit Draco hard, deep in his stomach. Ginevra lowered her finger and stood in front of him, defying him, willing him to retaliate. Draco pulled at his hair and turned his back to her. Ginevra suddenly very much wanted to comfort him for her violent words which had flown from her mouth without a thought. Just as she was about to take a step forward to place a hand on his shoulder, he swept back around to face her. Draco's arm flew out, catching her throat in one hand and hitting her hand against the nearby wall.

"Don't you ever," he said in a lowered voice. "Speak like that again. I am nothing like him!" He shoved her into the wall again.

As Ginevra's head hit the wall for a second time, tears, first of pain then of sorrow, sprung to her eyes. Draco immediately let go, suddenly horrified by his actions. Ginevra slid to the floor and wept. She was not injured, although the back of her head and her neck stung. But the Draco she had fallen in love with had never laid a hand to her. It was quite shocking to think that he had.

Draco took several steps back, trying desperately to find some explanation to his sudden outburst, but he could not. His old evil mindset had simply appeared for a moment, but his lover in pain had returned his nature. Draco stepped forward once, unsure if he should try to comfort her, seeing as he had attacked her.

Draco could not stand doing nothing for her. He crouched down, only a foot from where Ginevra was hunched. He reached out to her, palm up, trying his best to be unthreatening. Ginevra sensed his movement and chanced a glance. Through her tears, she saw Draco's hand outstretched, his head down. She was nervous to let him touch her again. But it was quite unlike Draco to calmly wait for her to bring her hand to his, instead of taking full control himself. Ginevra saw this tenderness in his actions and slowly reached out her hand. When they made contact, Draco looked up surprised. He wanted her to understand his loss of control desperately, but was it possible she already did? He had not thought so until he met her tearful gaze.

Draco swallowed. "Are you… you're alright, aren't you?"

"I've had much worse," Ginevra said softly. She went to stand, but Draco was quicker and helped her up. "Thank you," she said, still unsure of where this incident had left them. She stumbled a tiny bit and Draco caught her arm. Ginevra pulled out of his grip.

"I'm going to sleep in my old room tonight." She said tentatively. Draco nodded and watched her leave the dining room. As soon as she was out of sight, he reeled back and hit the rich maroon wall with his fist, hard enough to leave little chips of paint on his inflamed knuckles. Draco sunk to his knees and dropped his chin to his chest. What had he done?


	8. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

Ginevra did not sleep. She lay in the satin-lined, canary-yellow bed, staring at the dark ceiling. It was supposed to be like the night sky, Draco had told her. Like at Hogwarts, the ceiling changed to reflect nature. Tonight, she could see no clouds, no stars, no moon. Only darkness. It seemed to creep down the walls, surrounding Ginevra completely until she was swallowed up by it as well.

Ginevra sat up suddenly, and got out of the bed. She couldn't take it. She traveled down to the second floor, into the Great Room. This was the most comforting place she had found in all of Draco's home. It enclosed a magnificent fireplace, large enough for Ginevra to half-stand in, cozy chairs and loveseats, books upon books, and huge clear windows. The walls were her favorite shade of baby pink, and had little silver circles and swirls which twinkled in the fire light. When Ginevra curled up on a plush chair facing the fireplace, flames leapt up and it was suddenly alive in her presence. Here, Ginevra could finally rest her head back, and drift off to sleep in the warmth of the fire.

Draco could not enter the room he had shared with Ginevra. He lay instead on the loveseat in another spare bedroom. Draco was lost. He could not ask for anyone's help, for they would only become their enemy once they had heard what he had done. He was alone with himself and had no inclination of what he should do next. It was so very confusing.

The morning after, Ginevra had slept off the throbbing pain on her head and Draco had not slept at all. She sat in front of the still blazing fire and thought for a long time. Finally, after making a very difficult decision, Ginevra rose and walked down the first flight of stairs in the hall outside her room, waving her wand as she went. This made it so, by the time she had reached the first landing, all her things were nicely retrieved in the trunk she had brought with her. She was leaving.

Draco was found in the drawing room with a half-full glass of scotch in his hand. Ginevra rarely had seen him drink anything but wine while she was here and it was never in large quantities. At his father's house, he had told her, the most potent liquor was always drunk and no one was in control by the end of the third round. The girls that were there, Muggle-born slaves brought in by various Death Eaters, were always found bloodstained, naked, and nearly dead in the morning. Draco had wanted to leave that all behind.

But here he was, the bottle at his side. It was still quite full, and Ginevra guessed he had only drunken what was missing from the glass in his hand but it still pained her so to see someone she loved so much withdrawing from himself in such a way.

Ginevra cleared her throat. Draco didn't look up.

"I'm leaving." She said clearly. "I'll come back to you, darling, I promise. But… I just need a little time." She walked over to him. Draco was mystified by the swirling contents of his glass. Ginevra stood by his side, watching him for a moment, then swooped down and kissed the corner of his mouth. She stayed there long enough to taste the drop of salty water running down his face. He said nothing.


	9. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

**Three Weeks Later**

Ginevra lay on her back on the ragged concrete floor. She was bleeding. When the door opened, the light cast a strong silhouette of the huge man with uncombed hair. He had been dirty, and smelled like molding fruit.

Her shoulder bled from where he had broken the skin with his teeth. Her legs were bruised a thousand times over. She no longer felt anything below the waist, for it had been beaten far too often. Ginevra took all her energy and crawled to the dingy wall. She leaned against it and then lay down. In her ravaged mind, Draco held her tight, and whispered in her ear what he had said to her their first night together so long ago.

"I'll never leave you."

The only part of the manor Ginevra had seen was the concrete basement and the room before it. Her attackers had thrown her in naked after they'd Apparated back from the alley in Westminster. They'd taken her for the first time in that alley. One after another, they'd stripped of their trousers and beaten themselves inside her. She had counted five, even though some had taken second turns. But once she was brought to this manor, there had been ten, fifteen, twenty odd men who had come to the basement. After that, well, they all began to run together.

Ginevra didn't understand how Narcissa could stand it. Even though this seemed to be a separate building from the original manor, how could she not wonder where her husband disappeared to for an hour every other night? Ginevra doubted she even knew. Or at least ignored it completely, in the fear of Lucius' rage.

Draco paced quickly for he could not sit and let his mind wander. His legs hurt, but he gave them no rest. His throat was raw, but he drank no water. His beard itched immensely, but he did not scratch. Hermione watched him closely with a worried expression on her pale face. Draco swept his now long bangs off his face and quickened his pace. Ron was in the kitchen, yelling through the Muggle contraption he held to his ear. Draco clenched his fists and his nails dug into his palms. He did not want to listen to Weaselbee yell and some imbecilic Muggle when Draco wanted to throw something through a wall. Ginevra was still missing, after only three days staying here, in Westminster. How could he have let this happen? At this thought, Draco let out an uncharacteristic roar to the world. HE caused this, by slipping through the cracks of his carefully constructed brain. HE had let his old ways get the better of him. HE had been the one who had scared his only love out of his arms and into an unsafe world. Now she was suffering worse than even, he could feel it. In Draco's heart, he could sense the Ginevra's pain, her sorrow, her fear.

He knew what he must do.

Narcissa met who she believed to be her son at a small Muggle café in Islington. He certainly looked like her son, despite the onset of facial hair which he was neglecting, and the greasy mat of blonde hair that had not been combed in sometime. Narcissa smoothed the front of her long pea coat unnecessarily and stepped toward him.

"Draco?"

Draco looked up from the untouched coffee he had been swirling around with a spoon, and into the pale blue eyes of his worried mother. He stood sharply, gave her a stiff hug, and nodded to the empty chair. Once she seemed comfortable, he also sat.

"Darling, what's the matter? Your owl was, well, most dismal. I hope you have been well!" Although, she could see he was not.

Draco cleared his sticky throat. "You've been reading the papers, I assume?" he spoke without looking up.

"Yes, dear,"

"So you know then, that the Weasley girl has gone missing?"

Narcissa frowned. Was he making small talk? Was he segwaying into a more important topic? Surely, he had not summoned her here to speak of the local news.

"Yes, it's been all over Greater London. They say Minerva McGonagle is getting involved, as well as Kingsley Shacklebolt. All these old members of the Order. It's only because of the dedication the parents showed for Dumbledore, and everyone feels sorry they lost that boy of theirs." She scoffed, hoping to brighten the mood. "Good thing they've got plenty of others."

Draco did not find this amusing and it was clear on his face.

"Mother, I brought you here because of the Weasley. I couldn't," his face fell. "I couldn't think of anyone else to go to. I know you're loyal to Father, but thought, maybe, you could help me. In any case, you can't mention that we ever met.

Narcissa nodded hurriedly.

Draco took a deep breath. "Mother, I love Ginny very much. But now she's missing and I have nowhere else to turn! It's rumored that some of the old Death Eaters are holding her hostage, and I think that's true."

Narcissa sucked in her breath. She had heard these rumors too, and had mentioned them to Lucius in small talk. He had laughed and said that if they were true, she was getting what a blood traitor deserved. But something in his voice told Narcissa clearly that he knew more.

She cleared her throat. "You're in love?"

"Yes."

"With this… this girl."

"Yes."

There was a cold silence settling in on the pair and Draco didn't like it.

"I know," he said quietly. "Exactly what you and Father, and the Death Eaters think of people like the Weasley's. But I do love her, Mother! I love her the way that you taught me to love. And if anything were to happen to her, well, I don't know what I'd do with myself."

Narcissa looked into her son's eyes. They were the same color and shape of her husband's, but held emotions that Lucius was unable to even conceive. It was quite a terrible thing to have watched this boy grow up under the brutal hand of his father. Yet this man in front of her held only grief for the one he loved inside of him.

"Yes, dear."

Draco looked up into his mother's face.

"Yes, of course I'll help you."


	10. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

The scraggly faced man had barely finished when the stone door flew open.

"Leave," said an oily voice. In a painful moment, the dirty man grunted and removed himself from Ginevra. She rolled slowly to one side. But too soon, the new man was on top of her, closing his long sweaty fingers over her small throat. Ginevra gasped instinctively.

"Do you know what I heard today?" the man whispered to her as Ginevra tried again and again to loosen his grip. "My dear wife asked me about you. The ridiculous woman seemed to believe that my fellow Death Eaters have something to do with your disappearance. Now, how would a rumor like that get out?" he squeezed tighter with one hand and undid his pants with another. "You little bitch!" he slapped her suddenly with the hand that had just been struggling to push his trousers down.

The mark he left on Ginevra's face stung supremely with the icy air. She blinked, and then shut her eyes more tightly than ever before.

He shoved her legs apart.

He thrust himself in.

Something ripped in her; something popped in her hip.

He shoved and slapped and bit and tore her to pieces.

And then he was standing, pulling up his trousers and tightening his belt, smoothing down his hair.

She felt his eyes on her and then shriveled up to her bloody self to absorb the blow from his boot.

And as Lucius left, he pulled out the black ribbon holding back his ponytail and let it fall to the dungeon floor.

Narcissa strolled towards her huge bed in a long, blood red nightgown. The delicate black lace swept the ground around her feet and tickled her bare toes. The back of the nightgown was simply long thin lengths of silk which crisscrossed Narcissa's porcelain back.

She laid herself meticulacly on her bed, and awaited her husband.

He came into the room with his hair undone and a small scratch on his left cheek. By the time he was even with the end of the bed, Lucius had his shirt undone and was pulling of his cloak and trousers.

"Darling," Narcissa said in her most seducing voice, "Won't you join me tonight?"

Lucius stood for a moment, still as a statue. "No." he said most curtly. "I'm tired." And with that, he striped himself of the rest of his clothing and stepped into the master lavatory for a bath.

Narcissa plopped her head back against the thick pillows. Surely, she had lost all passion for this man. He was crude now, hardened by Azkaban. Not at all the man who had been tender and loving, though only to her. And now, Lucius wouldn't even lay with her!

Was he tired from fucking the blood traitor?

The thought slipped through Narcissa's mind like silk through one's hands. She lay, and imagined the horrors the young nineteen year old must have suffered so far. The Death Eaters now were just as ruthless as they had been when You-Know-Who was alive, yet now they lacked no real master. Lucius was somewhat of a leader but was just as eager as the others to torture and maim those he didn't like. Such as Ginny Weasley.

Lucius returned to the bedroom towel drying his hair. He had no problem being nude around Narcissa, even if he wasn't going to pleasure her. After doing so many things with her for so many years (willingly or otherwise), he had grown tired. The Weasley girl gave him so much more pleasure when she screamed and writhed. He had ultimate control. And her body was of course so much younger than Narcissa's and she lacked even control of that. Her plump tits and her tight center… so tight that he felt something shift within her just to make him fit. Narcissa was by no means comparable.

"Darling?" came a high-pitched voice. Lucius responded with a grunt. "Well, this… this Weasley girl. Do you think that someone could be keeping her? I know what you said at dinner, but really, rumours don't start without a tinsy bit of fact."

"All I know is that someone's involved. I'm not sure who though." Lucius paused, daring himself to just tell her the truth. "I suppose I heard something about Goyle, but he's so slow, he wouldn't know the difference between that girl and one of her elder brothers. Put it to bed." He finished smartly, ready to beat her if she raised the subject again. And Narcissa understood his silence.


	11. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

The door creaked open once again. Ginevra thought of just asking, once, if they could stop. Maybe she'd hit a soft heart? Or maybe it would only please the Death Eaters more. This man who had entered didn't seem as agitated as the others did. He approached her slowly, holding something wide in his hands. Ginevra knew better than to try to get away. She was in a locked room anyhow, with no wand, no clothes, and not much else to lose. So she shriveled herself up again and waited for the blow.

"Ginny, right?" came a gruff voice.

Ginevra looked over her shoulder, too beaten to give any sort of other response.

The man crouched down, just a yard from her. "I'm Mr. Goyle. You've heard of my son? I'm here to help."

These last four words came as even more of a shock than the rest of what he had said. He reached out a hand unaggressively and let it hover in the air for a moment. When Ginevra did nothing in response except hang her head, Goyle supported her neck and torso with thick arms. He sat her up and realized she was quite exposed. Goyle quickly shed his cloak and laid it upon the fragile girl, tucking it in between her and the stonewall so she might have some warmth. He brushed her greasy red hair off her face. Goyle took the large platter he had placed on the ground and poured a chill glass of water and held it for Ginny to take. Her eyes, sunken into her face and colored a dull brown seemed to not even see his big hand. Goyle sighed worriedly and brought the glass to Ginny's lips. When Ginevra felt the cold glass on her mouth, it awakened her senses. The only thing she'd had in weeks was filthy lukewarm water, and this crisp taste was heaven. She struggled to swallow it fast enough to quench her thirst. Goyle held the cup steadily and tipped it gradually as Ginny drank. Her own hands were tucked inside the warm cloak and she was reluctant to leave that warmth, so she allowed Goyle's pace.

Goyle continued to feed Ginny food; first toast with butter, then a thinly sliced apple. He said that her body had been too starved to eat a fully substantial meal, lest she get sick, so he fed her little things, slowly.

When she could not eat any more, Ginny sighed and let her head rest on the cold stone. Several things confused her though.

"Why have you come?" she asked bluntly. "It was always my impression that you were loyal to Malfoy,"

"Yes, well, I had a change of heart. Severus straightened me out for the most part several months before his death. I still had been on the fence about becoming a spy like he, for," Goyle snorted here, "I am hardly a formidable wizard. The Dark Lord would have figured me for one in a moment. But once Severus was killed, and the Dark Lord too, well, I thought I at least owed him that much. So I got through to a confident in the Ministry, who informed Shacklebolt of my decision. Now I've been a double for the Order for almost a full year. They didn't accept me… easily." Goyle took a breath. It sounded like he had told parts of his story many times over.

"So, you knew I was here?" Ginny said weakly.

"Unfortunately, I only just received that information. Lucius, I'm afraid, kept you as a secret for only his closest friends and most trusted advisors. But his wife, Narcissa came to me, asking if I was the one who had kept you all this time! Apparently, Lucius has been telling stories."

"But why would that…. Why would she ever care about me?"

Goyle looked at Ginny like a daughter of his own. "She came because Draco asked her for help. He's torn up wretched about you. Hasn't had a right good rest as long as you've been here. And I don't blame him!" Goyle spoke with understanding. "I hear he's quite taken with you. Been a good mess since you've been missing. Frightened enough to risk going to his mother."

"Oh, Draco," Ginny cried softly. She hadn't known what exactly to expect from him because of how they'd… left things. But to hear how distraught he had been was more than her heart could bear. "So, what happens now?"

This was the rough part. "Well, we don't want to leave you here any longer, and you need quite a bit of medical attention. But we can't just snatch you from under Lucius' nose, for then we'll be in worse shape than you could imagine."

Ginevra bit her lip to stop crying. She could imagine a very cruel number of things. But to stay in this dungeon, at the mercy of not only Lucius, but his sick cronies as well?

It couldn't happen!


	12. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven**

Draco muttered under his breath, laying facedown on the ivory checked couch. Hermione watched him, silently sipping her wine. He shifted again and groaned angrily. His tightly curled fist pounded the cushions. Draco's mother, Narcissa, had come to Hermione's house in Westminster with the news that the elder Goyle would be helping them. Hermione sighed. How could four strong members of the Order (herself, Ron, Draco, and Harry) not know that Goyle was spy? He's been one nearly a year! And now he was coming forward to help? After all that time in Lucius' pocket?

Perhaps it was like Snape, Hermione thought. The more aware of his true loyalty, the more dangerous his life became. But still, someone could have let them know!

Anyways, he was serving his purpose now: giving them headway into Lucius' home, to save something most precious. Hermione, after all, and many others would give their lives to save Ginny's. But, hopefully, it wouldn't come to that.

They wouldn't be able to formulate a plan until Goyle sent word to Narcissa, which could be any time the next morning. He said he wouldn't get access to Ginny until the early morning, which meant another night in the dungeon for her.

This was the reason for Draco's current distress.

He had been the most agitated Hermione had ever seen him while he had been staying here. Always pacing and growling under his breath, never sleeping and hardly eating. Even Ron had been easier on him as time wore on. At first, the terror of Ginny's abduction had irritated them so that it was not uncommon for wands to be drawn over the simplest of things. But now, Ron was too frightened to instigate, and Draco seemed to be losing his mind. Hermione shuttered at the thought of what would happen to him if Ginny could not be safely taken back. None of them had guessed that he had loved Ginny so. It irritated Harry to no end; having to watch his enemy flitter around his best friends' house in agony over what was happening to Ginny. Hermione thought Harry secretly wanted to be in Draco's place. Though no one really envied Draco, who had scars visible on his arms and the back of his neck from the beatings his father had incurred upon him. Though, Hermione had slowly begun to see that, thankfully, Draco may look like his father but contained within him none of Malfoys cruel manner. He may have been quite an ass in school, but it was only because he had been bred that way.

Goyle's owl finally reached them about ten the next morning. He wrote that Ginny would need immediate medical care, and that Lucius would need to be out of the house, along with all the Death Eaters, or else any plan for Ginny's escape would fail. He put her under a spell to keep her from getting pregnant (a scenario Draco had fearfully considered) and had healed her wounds the best he could. Other than that, there was not much Goyle could do. He had made Ginny as comfortable as possible, and then was forced to leave.

"She needs to be out of there now!" Draco exclaimed fervently. This was all his fault! He had pushed Ginevra away, and now she was suffering more than anyone ever should. Goyle had not given them details, but Draco knew enough of his father to know why Ginevra was locked in the dungeon.

Narcissa spoke up quickly, wishing to avoid another outburst from her son. "We must lure Lucius out of the manor first. He will leave someone in charge and it will be easy for me to take the house once he is gone." She looked to Draco, her eyes shining wet. "How will we… be rid of him?"

The collection of people looked to Draco.

"I know just the way." He said darkly.

Hermione gasped. "You're, you're going to kill your own father?"

Draco looked at her with cold malice in his eyes. "Yes."

Ginny whimpered. Someone lifted her broken body from the ground while someone else gasped.

"Leave her! You'll only damage her more!"

"Yes, we mustn't move her,"

"Ah, her hip, it's wrong, all wrong!"

"But look at her back; there's something wrong there too!"

"We can wait here, just someone gimme their cloak,"

"Don't touch her again…."


	13. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve**

"Darling, guess what? Dear Draco has invited us to his home. We must go see him!"

Lucius looked up at his wife with bored eyes. "Yes, I suppose that would be prudent. I can't go without knowing what secrets lay inside that small house of his."

"Wonderful! We shall go tomorrow then?"

"Fine." Lucius sighed deeply. He had drunk too much heavy wine and was in no mood to but up with any sort of estrogen. "Shall you retire," It was a statement.

"Yes, of course dear." Narcissa stood and waltzed thoughtfully out of the room. It was her last night in this house, at least while it was under Lucius' control. But once he was gone, she would have free reign and could do with it what she wished. She could put some good to the Malfoy name.

Someone threw their cloak over Ginevra and she was immediately warmed fantastically. A smooth hand pushed the hair off of her face and lifted her just enough to place her on something soft. The hand was moving over her, gliding over her wounds which miraculously healed at the touch. When they reached the point between her legs, she murmured and tensed, not wanting any more harm. But a soothing and familiar male voice told her it would be okay, and eased her legs apart to run his hand over her skin. It cooled and then warmed in a strange sensation, and then Ginevra felt no more pain. The man drew his hands over the rest of her and then brought them back to her face. Ginevra still had not opened her eyes, in the fear that it might be a trick. But when the smooth hands lovingly stroked her face, she had to know. Her eyes opened and there was a bright flash of pure white and then a face appeared, framed by shining blond hair. He wore a beautiful smile and his silvery eyes teared up as they gazed at each other.

The door slammed open and Ginevra awoke. Everything was dark and splotchy compared to the image that was still pressed against her eyes, of Draco rescuing her in the bright sunlight.

But that was not reality, and this fact hit Ginevra hard as a foot crashed into her spine.

Draco laughed drunkenly and ran a hand through his hair. He fell forward onto a chaise when Zabini clapped him hard on the back, still laughing. Draco wiped his mouth with a last chuckle and threw a leg over the back of the chaise. Zabini walked clumsily to a great arched iron door and spun around quickly.

"To the great… Draco Malfoy," he said with great expression, sloshing his drink everywhere, "I give this fine piece of Muggle ass."

Zabini opened the door wide and yanked out of a small room a very naked and well-endowed blonde girl, who seemed in her early twenties. Draco was only seventeen, but he liked them to have a little experience, so her age did not bother him. He swung his leg off the chaise and his foot thudded on the ground. His silver eyes roamed without shame over her legs and chest, drinking in her full body. He raised a finger and beckoned her forward. She stood, shaking, in her spot until Zabini shoved her. She took this so hard she fell to her hands and knees in front of Draco.

"Blaise," he said scornfully, "there's no reason to be cruel."

Zabini gave Draco a wicked smile, closed the iron door, and marched out of the small chamber.

The young woman remained at Draco's feet. She seemed too weak to stand. Draco brought a hand to her face and lifted it to see her properly.

"Name?"

"Chri-Christina Warriner. I was he-here on va-vacation." And she burst into tears.

Draco pulled back a little revolted. She spoke in a very Western accent and he realized what she had said. He lifted his face to the ceiling and sighed. He did not care much for weeping girls. They took too much out of him. But this girl… she sobered him suddenly.

"How old are you?" he asked softly.

"I—22."

Draco groaned again. He suddenly felt exhausted. This girl had been yanked from her holiday, by wizards no less, stripped naked, starved and deprived, by his hand. Or his father's hand, but did it really make any difference?

He cleared his throat. Christina stopped sobbing and looked up mournfully. "Please—,"

Draco silenced her with a look and then asked her politely to stand. She did, and stood uncomfortably, trying to hide her nakedness. Draco drew his wand and waved it fluidly through the air and Christina watched mesmerized. What seemed to be multicolored water flowed from the tip of his wand. The water wrapped itself around Christina's body and suddenly clung to her, turning solid, as clothing. She looked up at Draco in shock, but he had already turned his back on her, reaching high up on a bookshelf to find the title he was searching for. He felt the distinct paper cover amongst the leather ones and pulled it down. Christina stood stock still as Draco quickly flipped through the thin pages, then stopped and waved his wand around a bit more, just practicing a movement over and over. When he was satisfied that he had it right, he turned to face Christina, the book still open in his hand. He made the great movement again, this time saying confidently, "Obliviate!"

Draco finally stopped the car in front of a police station somewhere in the direction of Salehurst.

"Now, just get out of the car," he said quietly, "And walk inside. Ask someone… good-looking for help."

Christina nodded solemnly and stepped out of the car. She didn't close the door, so Draco reached across and snatched the handle. He then sped off, into the great night.

"Malfoy!"

Draco's eyes snapped open in shock. His forehead felt cool and the place he had been sleeping was shaking violently. He sat up quickly and realized this to be the doing of one Harry Potter. His eyes were bright green, and crazed. He seemed to be in more of a mess than usual, his hair sticking up right at his hairline and his clothes oddly misshapen.

"What?" Draco snapped.

Harry gritted his teeth. "Sorry to have disrupted your beauty sleep, but your Death Eater friend is here, and someone thought I should inform you." He turned on his heel and marched off, shoulders hunched, muttering something about crazy women.

_His Death Eater friend? What on earth could that mean?_ And then Draco recalled the night before and Goyle's owl. He sprung off the couch. _He's here!_ Draco ran through the butler's pantry and into the wide kitchen, which was covered in white marble. He stopped suddenly, flabbergasted by the two faces he saw.

Goyle was there, in Death Eater robes, no less, and he was glaring down at a dark young man, who had his brown eyes set on Draco. Blaise took quite a breath, and then said, "How's it been, mate?"

Draco looked at his best mate completely stunned. He and Blaise hadn't seen or heard from each other since that night three years ago when Draco had rescued the Muggle girl from his house, leaving a wasted Blaise unconscious on the drawing room floor.

Draco got a hand on himself the best he could. He straightened himself, and looked smartly at Blaise. "Why are you here?"

The smile Blaise was attempting melted off his face. "I, I overheard your mother talking to Goyle here, about that redheaded girl—"

"Ginny," Draco said through his teeth.

"Right, right, Ginny," Blaise repeated quickly, rather frightened. "And, well, Goyle caught me and dragged me over here and, what do you know, it's all true! I mean, you and, and Ginny! And I swear, man, I didn't, I didn't lay a finger on her," at just the mention of this Draco took several threatening steps forward and Blaise shook slightly in Goyle's grip. "I promise, Drake, I didn't! I mean, she's from school, it was… too odd." Draco turned quickly and gripped the countertop. "And now I'm glad I didn't!" Blaise continued. "'Cause, clearly, she's your girl and, and that's just," Blaise swallowed hard, realizing he shouldn't really have said anything. "Wrong."

"Yes, I suppose it is." Draco said shortly. He couldn't help but think that it was a lot more wrong to have aging, low-life, dirty Death Eaters, like his own father, taking the girl he was loving, someone several decades younger.

Draco shook his head and faced Blaise again.

"So now you're here…."

"To help!" Blaise finished quickly. "I want to put an end to this! I mean, the Death Eaters have been doing this for God knows how long, and it's time to put a stop to it!"

Draco made short eye contact with Goyle, who nodded swiftly, affirming Blaise's loyalty. "Fine," Draco said.

Goyle cleared his throat. "I have news, and maybe a plan. And I've already begun to put it in motion, so we must hurry."

He gestured to the sitting room and when Draco entered it, he found Hermione, Potter, and Weasley waiting for them. Blaise followed Draco onto the loveseat, and Goyle faced them all.

"Narcissa and I have concocted a plan that we believe will be effective," he grunted. "Draco, you have invited your mother and father to your house in Islington. There, you will distract them. Meanwhile, Blaise and I will evacuate the manor. Then you three," he gestured to Potter, Weasley, and Hermione, "will be waiting in the shadows until the coast is clear, and you will get Ginny out of the dungeons," Draco winced violently and Weasley hissed sharply through his teeth, "and return her here."

Goyle appraised everyone. Hermione looked a bit frightened, but was trying not to. Potter and Weasley still seemed to be drinking everything in, but Draco was downright angry.

"This is your brilliant plan?" he sneered. "This is what you've come up with? To have me sitting in Islington, sipping tea with my parents while you all scare away the Death Eaters and save the day?"

"Oi! My sister's going mental over there, getting who knows what done to her, and—"

"Don't you think I know that!?" Draco roared. Weasley stood outraged and Hermione followed his lead, but placed herself in between the heated wands tips.

"Okay, okay," she said soothingly. "We're all very worried about Ginny here, and this is not the time to be cursing each other. This plan is already in place. How about… Draco, can you secure your father? Cast a… a Memory Charm! Erase his memory! Then leave him here, and you can come and help us. I'm sure the Death Eaters will take their sweet time leaving the manor, Draco. That leaves plenty of time for you to meet us back there so we can liberate Ginny. Okay? Does that work?"

"Yes, fine,"

"Good,"

"Well," Goyle spoke up again. "This is all fine and dandy, but in any case, Draco, you need to clean up and get yourself home now. Stop by the washroom and shave, do a trimming spell, wash your face, but then get home! By this time, you're mother and father should be about ready to get to your place. Okay? So it's a go!"


End file.
